Rachel and Justin dreamed of a wedding with an oak tree and barn as the backdrop for a romantic wedding with the perfect amount of relaxed elegance. Healdsburg Country Gardens fit the bill perfectly, and everything else was icing on the cake! You can read all about their love story and wedding details below, alongside the gorg images shot by Kurt Boomer Photo.
Tell us how you met/proposed!
We met in our high school anatomy class, we were placed at the same table and became friends and eventually dated for a month or two. It didn’t work out for us then (my parents were distraught because they already adored him) but we reconnected a few years later and became instantly inseparable. On September 24th 2011, Justin took me to the park where we went to on our first date, and his cousin met us there to take pictures of the two of us (which I thought was a little fishy!) He eventually led me out on the dock we had etched our initials into a couple years prior, and got down on one knee! I still have no idea what he said to me to this day because I think I mentally blacked out due to sheer excitement, but I managed to blurt out a big “YES!” It was so incredibly sweet, and I love that he thought to get it captured on camera so we can have those memories forever!
What made the wedding special and unique?
When we talked about our wedding and what we wanted, we knew it had to be true to ourselves. It needed to be outdoors, we wanted an amazing barn and an oak tree to get married under. Once we found all of that, the décor was centered around neutrals, blush and causal elegance. Not to mention a love of flowers, with it being held at a garden and bringing in lots of peonies, hydrangeas and dahlias.
What were some touches added to make it personal?
There were many elements to our wedding that made it personal, which was one of our main goals throughout the wedding planning process. We made almost everything so that we felt really hands on throughout the whole experience. We spent hours making signs, programs, menu cards, etc., not to mention the amazing cupcake stands that my dad made for us! We definitely couldn’t have done it without the support of our family and friends. In the end, all of those things came together to truly make our dream day.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
We both look back and wish we could relive our wedding day all over again. Everything went perfectly (we were shocked!) and we felt so loved by all of our guests. But if we had to pick a most memorable part of the day it would be when we exchanged vows, because we got the chance to pour our hearts out to one another and tell each other our hopes and dreams for our lives together.
Vendors: Photography: Kurt Boomer Photo // Hair Stylist: Jennifer Irby, Hair Stylist // Caterer: Pacific Connection Catering and Events // Event Planner: Pine Street Events // Floral Designer: Dragonfly Floral // Reception Venue: Healdsburg Country Gardens // Cake Designer: Costeaux French Bakery // Bridesmaid Dresses: Watters